Surgery successful for Stingaree crash victim

San Diego  An Encinitas woman whose leg was mangled when she was struck by a taxi in the Gaslamp Quarter underwent a successful surgery Thursday, UCSD Medical Center personnel said.

The operation allowed surgeons to clean and inspect the wound in Dominique Gambale’s right leg.

“She is now resting and in good spirits as she anticipates the next steps in her treatment,” said Dr. Paul Girard, an orthopedic surgeon at UCSD Medical Center.

Gambale, 45, was critically injured early Saturday when the driver of an Emerald Cab, Sam Hassan Daly, 52, drove into a crowd at the corner of Sixth and Island avenues, outside the Stingaree nightclub. Police said he may have been going about 15 mph and fallen asleep or blacked out at the wheel.

Gambale faces a series of reconstructive surgeries on her leg, and doctors say she still could lose the leg.